Pumpkin, Pepper, Ham & Cheesy Rice Skillet Casserole

with dill, thyme, and tomato

This is a comforting, homey dish that goes straight from stovetop to oven to the table and is a delicious, complete and healthy meal all in one pan.

I returned from Thanksgiving at my parents’ house with a car full of food, wine, a spectacular placemat my mom found for me and a very special new pan. My dad had found a couple beautiful cast iron skillets at the thrift store for $3.50, and I just casually joked that I was tempted to take one home with me. So my sweet mother cleaned one up and gave it to me to take home. Did she know how much I wanted one? My mom is the best.

We had a ham on Saturday, so everyone got a big chunk of ham to take home with them. A skillet casserole seemed like the perfect thing to make to “christen” my beautiful new cast iron skillet.

Pumpkin, Pepper, Ham & Cheesy Rice Skillet Casserole

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• Dried or fresh dill & thyme
• Red Robin Seasoning (or your favorite seasoned salt)
• 3/4 – 1 cup lowfat milk (I used 1%)
• A dash of ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used a blend … I recommend a white cheddar, swiss, or
• 2 1/2 cups cooked Bismati rice
• 1 1/2 cup chopped tomato
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat ham, chopped
• Breadcrumbs, almond slices, tomato & feta cheese, for topping

Directions:

If you don’t have a cast-iron or other oven-proof skillet, just bake this in casserole dish.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Start the rice cooking.
3. While the rice cooks, melt the butter in an oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and bell pepper and sautee.
4. When the onion is soft and translucent, add the flour and stir until the vegies are coated with flour.
5. Add in the milk and stir, cooking over medium heat until you have a creamy white sauce.
6. Continue stirring as you add the pumpkin and the shredded cheese. You should have a very creamy sauce. Season with nutmeg, dill, thyme, Red Robin Seasoning (or salt) and pepper to taste.
7. Stir the rice, tomato, and ham into the cheesy sauce.
8. Flatten the rice mixture with the back of a spoon and sprinkle with breadcrumbs, almonds, halved cherry tomatos (or chopped tomato) and feta cheese. I sprinkled a little extra dill and thyme on top too, just for good measure.
9. Put the skillet in the oven and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned and the casserole is good and hot.

This recipe was shared at Newlyweds Blog Recipe Linky, This Chick Cooks, Fit and Fabulous Fridays, and Gooseberry Patch Skillet Meals.